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Types & Function of Co-operative Banks, India

Types & Function of Co-operative Banks in India

The co-operative banks are small-sized units which operate both in urban and non-urban centers. They finance small borrowers in industrial and trade sectors besides professional and salary classes. Regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, they are governed by the Banking Regulations Act 1949 and banking laws (co-operative societies) act, 1965. The co-operative banking structure in India is divided into following 5 categories:

Primary Co-operative Credit Society

The primary co-operative credit society is an association of borrowers and non-borrowers residing in a particular locality. The funds of the society are derived from the share capital and deposits of members and loans from central co-operative banks. The borrowing powers of the members as well as of the society are fixed. The loans are given to members for the purchase of cattle, fodder, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.

Central Co-operative Banks

These are the federations of primary credit societies in a district and are of two types-those having a membership of primary societies only and those having a membership of societies as well as individuals. The funds of the bank consist of share capital, deposits, loans and overdrafts from state co-operative banks and joint stocks. These banks provide finance to member societies within the limits of the borrowing capacity of societies. They also conduct all the business of a joint stock bank.

State Co-operative Banks

The state co-operative bank is a federation of central co-operative bank and acts as a watchdog of the co-operative banking structure in the state. Its funds are obtained from share capital, deposits, loans and overdrafts from the Reserve Bank of India. The state co-operative banks lend money to central co-operative banks and primary societies and not directly to the farmers.

Land Development Banks

The Land development banks are organized in 3 tiers namely; state, central, and primary level and they meet the long term credit requirements of the farmers for developmental purposes. The state land development banks oversee, the primary land development banks situated in the districts and tehsil areas in the state. They are governed both by the state government and Reserve Bank of India. Recently, the supervision of land development banks has been assumed by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural development (NABARD). The sources of funds for these banks are the debentures subscribed by both central and state government. These banks do not accept deposits from the general public.

Urban Co-operative Banks

The term Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs), though not formally defined, refers to primary co-operative banks located in urban and semi-urban areas. These banks, till 1996, were allowed to lend money only for non-agricultural purposes. This distinction does not hold today. These banks were traditionally centered on communities, localities, work place groups. They essentially lend to small borrowers and businesses. Today, their scope of operations has widened considerably.

The origins of the urban co-operative banking movement in India can be traced to the close of nineteenth century. Inspired by the success of the experiments related to the co-operative movement in Britain and the co-operative credit movement in Germany, such societies were set up in India. Co-operative societies are based on the principles of cooperation, mutual help, democratic decision making, and open membership. Co-operatives represented a new and alternative approach to organization as against proprietary firms, partnership firms, and joint stock companies which represent the dominant form of commercial organization. They mainly rely upon deposits from members and non-members and in case of need, they get finance from either the district central co-operative bank to which they are affiliated or from the apex co-operative bank if they work in big cities where the apex bank has its Head Office. They provide credit to small scale industrialists, salaried employees, and other urban and semi-urban residents.

Functions of Co-operative Banks

Co-operative banks also perform the basic banking functions of banking but they differ from commercial banks in the following respects

1.Commercial banks are joint-stock companies under the companies’ act of 1956, or public sector bank under a separate act of a parliament whereas co-operative banks were established under the co-operative society’s acts of different states.

2.Commercial bank structure is branch banking structure whereas co-operative banks have a three tier setup, with state co-operative bank at apex level, central / district co-operative bank at district level, and primary co-operative societies at rural level.

3.Only some of the sections of banking regulation act of 1949 (fully applicable to commercial banks), are applicable to co-operative banks, resulting only in partial control by RBI of co-operative banks and

4.Co-operative banks function on the principle of cooperation and not entirely on commercial parameters.

Problems of Co-operative Banks

Duality of control system of co-operative banks

However, concerns regarding the professionalism of urban co-operative banks gave rise to the view that they should be better regulated. Large co-operative banks with paid-up share capital and reserves of Rs.1 lakh were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act 1949 with effect from 1st March, 1966 and within the ambit of the Reserve Bank’s supervision. This marked the beginning of an era of duality of control over these banks. Banking related functions (viz. licensing, area of operations, interest rates etc.) were to be governed by RBI and registration, management, audit and liquidation, etc. governed by State Governments as per the provisions of respective State Acts. In 1968, UCB’s were extended the benefits of deposit insurance.

Towards the late 1960s there was debate regarding the promotion of the small scale industries. UCB’s came to be seen as important players in this context. The working group on industrial financing through Co-operative Banks, (1968 known as Damry Group) attempted to broaden the scope of activities of urban co-operative banks by recommending these banks should finance the small and cottage industries. This was reiterated by the Banking Commission in 1969.

The Madhavdas Committee (1979) evaluated the role played by urban co-operative banks in greater details and drew a roadmap for their future role recommending support from RBI and Government in the establishment of such banks in backward areas and prescribing viability standards.

The Hate Working Group (1981) desired better utilization of bank’s surplus funds and that the percentage of the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) & the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) of these banks should be brought at par with commercial banks, in a phased manner. While the Marathe Committee (1992) redefined the viability norms and ushered in the era of liberalization, the Madhava Rao Committee (1999) focused on consolidation, control of sickness, better professional standards in urban co-operative banks and sought to align the urban banking movement with commercial banks.

A feature of the urban banking movement has been its heterogeneous character and its uneven geographical spread with most banks concentrated in the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. While most banks are unit banks without any branch network, some of the large banks have established their presence in many states when at their behest multi-state banking was allowed in 1985. Some of these banks are also Authorized Dealers in Foreign Exchange.